Local news starts hitting mobile media

If you're one of those on-the-go types who's excited by the increasing availability of news content on cell phones and PDAs, but you still have a warm and fuzzy attachment to your local news anchors, you may be in luck. A number of CBS stations in major American metropolitan areas have begun offering local news content--some of it video--to mobile customers through wireless application providers News Over Wireless and Weathernews Inc. It's all part of the CBS Television Stations Digital Media Group's "Always On" initiative, which aims for greater availability of local stations' content beyond the traditional realm of television.

Philadelphia's CBS 3, for example, on Wednesday announced the launch of its Always On mobile news service, which features local news, weather and traffic information. There are some carrier caveats: The video content from News Over Wireless is restricted to Sprint users, and the non-video to Verizon customers; the Weathernews content is available to all major carriers, but video content is likewise only on Sprint for the time being. CBS plans to expand carrier coverage as the year goes on.

Sixteen of CBS Television Stations' 39 local hubs feature the Always On mobile service. Among them are Boston's CBS 4 and the Bay Area's CBS 5.